25 Creative New Ways to Cook Salmon
If your go-to salmon routine has got you down, do not fear. Inspiration is here.
The salmon situation can get pretty basic around here. If it’s a weeknight and I’m home with the kids, I’ll roast a small salmon fillet on a baking sheet with butter and herbs à la Mark Bittman. If it’s a weekend (or vacation) my husband grills up salmon steaks with little other than salt, pepper, olive oil, and a bit of lemon juice (no cedar planks here). If it’s a special Sunday morning, it’s smoked salmon on an everything bagel. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all delicious. But these "no-recipe" salmon recipes can feel a bit familiar after all this time. And I don’t blame the salmon.
When you slip into a similar salmon rut (no. more. baked salmon!) just know that there are plenty of creative ways to get yourself out of it and learn to love salmon once again. Here are 25 of the best salmon recipes out there that aren’t straight-up baked, roasted, or grilled — or served on a bagel.
BBQ Spiced Salmon
The pineapple salsa in this salmon recipe from How Sweet It is is enough to wake up your tired taste buds on its own. If the total time seems long, that's just to allow the salsa to sit for 30-45 minutes so the flavors can meld; after that, pop skin-on salmon under the broiler for a short 6-8 minute cooking time and you're done!
Salmon with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
Love the fruit and salmon combo? Try it with strawberry salsa, instead. Shawnda, at Confections of a Foodie Bride, calls it “an unlikely combination, but one that works.”
Grilled Balsamic Salmon Kabobs
This recipe, from Eat, Live, Run, has two things that make most BBQ dishes that much better: high-quality balsamic vinegar and skewers.
Grapefruit and Avocado Salad With Seared Salmon
This heart-healthy salad, with omega-3 fatty acids from both salmon and walnuts, is as good as it is gorgeous.
Salmon Shioyaki
What is shioyaki, you ask? It’s Japanese, for salt-grilled deliciousness. (I may have taken some liberty with that translation). In this recipe, aluminum foil helps to temper the heat from the grill. Do not skip the part where you crisp the skin — it makes the dish. Serve simply with rice, seaweed, lemon slices, and (my fave condiment ever) furikake.
Maple-Miso Dijon Salmon
Miso on its own is delicious on salmon, but couple it with maple and dijon, like Kevin does in this glazed salmon recipe from Closet Cooking, and… just, wow.
Poached Salmon With Dill Horseradish Sauce
I always forget about poaching as a cooking method — to my own detriment. For this recipe, from Serious Eats, bring a savory blend of white wine, veggie stock, onion, dill, sage leaves, bay leaves, and lemon to a nice simmer before adding the salmon filets (skin side down) — it will smell incredible (and not fishy).
Moroccan Spiced Salmon
This recipe, from Leite’s Culinaria, is presented as a salad, but it could easily skew more main course if you dial up the portion of salmon and dial back the arugula. Says one reviewer, “The salmon could stand on its own anytime at our house.”
Smoky Salmon BLTs
That’s smoky, not smoked. This recipe takes your beloved BLT to the next level. (And yes, that's a croissant).
Easy, Creamy One-Pot Salmon Chowder
Fish soup! So easy. So delicious. Don’t add the salmon until the final 3 minutes, says J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats.
Smoked Salmon Brunch Taco Bar
“If [Wolfgang] Puck can do smoked salmon pizza, I can do tacos,” says Cathy Pollak of Noble Pig. And with that, she gives us the Smoked Salmon Brunch Taco Bar — part Mexican (Jack cheese, tortillas), part Japanese (furikake, daikon radish), part Jewish deli (whipped cream cheese, capers), all parts deliciousness.
Pizza With Smoked Salmon and Caviar
And speaking of Wolfgang Puck, POPSUGAR has his signature smoked salmon and caviar pizza recipe.
Tandoori Salmon
Yes, even salmon can rock the tandoori treatment, as seen in this delicious salmon recipe from Food & Wine.
Salmon Tartare
A classic tartare, like this one from Bon Appetit, is a highly snackable way to make an 8-ounce fillet of salmon disappear just like that.
Easy Salmon Poke Bowl
It really doesn’t get easier than cubing some fresh salmon for this easy and refreshing poke bowl.
Keto Salmon Sushi Bowl
If you prefer your salmon cooked, and rice is on your naughty list, this simple salmon "rice" bowl, from Hey Keto Mama, has your number. Frozen riced cauliflower and salmon-in-a-bag make this quick, easy, keto, and delicious — perfect for a busy weeknight.
Keto Salmon Patties
Almond flour is the secret to Cast Iron Keto’s crispy salmon patty recipe.
Old Bay Salmon Cakes
If you’re not afraid of panko breadcrumbs, this classic salmon cake recipe, from Karyl's Kulinary Krusade, is also a keeper.
Smoked Salmon Egg Stuffed Avocados
Let Fresh Planet Flavor help you win Sunday brunch with these smoked salmon and egg-stuffed avocados.
Easy Pickled Salmon
My initial reaction was, WHAT?! Then I did a little research. “Pickled fish might sound really strange but it’s a very popular classical Russian dish,” says Inessa at Grab and Go Recipes (which specializes in Russian home cooking). “We call it Selyodka which is pickled herring.” You just swap the fish!
Keto Smoked Salmon Fat Bombs
Like the classic everything bagel sandwich, minus the bagel — just five ingredients and no cooking required! Thanks, Sugar-Free Mom!
Grilled Salmon Collars
True salmon lovers know to ask their fishmonger for the collar, where all the flavor hides. This recipe, from Bon Appetit, has you marinate salmon collars in a sweet-spicy Japanese tare (a marinade of mirin, soy sauce, sake, and spices) for 30 minutes to two hours. Then grill — and enjoy.
Golden Parmesan-Herb Crusted Salmon
Sometimes you just need to smother your salmon fillets with melted butter, parmesan, fresh herbs, and panko breadcrumbs to change things up a little. With just 10 minutes of prep time, this baked salmon recipe might be your new weeknight hero.
Salmon Curry
In this pan-seared salmon recipe from Salu Salo Recipes, simply make a paste with spices and cashews, spread it across the salmon fillets, and fry them up.
Sesame And Ginger Salmon En Papillote
Baking in parchment might seem fancy, but it's actually a very straightforward way to bake salmon. In this recipe, from Healthy Food Guide UK, you nestle salmon fillets over spiralized veggies, sprinkle sesame seeds and an Asian-inspired sauce, then bake for 15 minutes or less.
Got your recipe picked out? For every question you ever had about salmon, check out Yummly’s comprehensive three-part guide: Salmon 101, Buying & Storing Salmon, and Preparing & Cooking Salmon.
For even more salmon inspiration, check out one of these related recipe searches on Yummly: